Young Reggae Girlz grab last round-of-16 spot

JAMAICA’S YOUNG Reggae Girlz secured the final round-of-16 spot in the CONCACAF U20 Women’s Championship yesterday after playing to a 0-0 draw against Haiti.

Jamaica ended the first round of the Championships in third place, sealing the very last spot of Group B.

Already through, Haiti finished second in the Group, while Guatemala, who had earlier clipped Cuba 3-2, topped the proceedings.

Coming into the day, the Jamaicans were in pole position to grab the final spot as the visitors to the Dominican Republic had three points and a plus-two goal difference. There challenge for the final spot, Cuba, had no points and a minus four goal difference.

This meant, of course, that not only did Jamaica have to lose and Cuba win, but there also had to be a six-goal swing for the latter to make it.

That didn’t happen, but it was not for want of trying as Cuba, through goals from Elizabeth Zara and Marly Palma, made things interesting.

With the knowledge that avoiding a heavy defeat was all that was required to make it to the next round, the young Reggae Girlz did not bathe themselves in glory.

In fact, they made the task ultimately more difficult after going down to 10 players, Theanna Burnett sent off after yellow cards in the 15th and 45th minutes of play.

The Reggae Girlz tried to adjust, making substitutions in the 35th, 45th, 60th, and 75th minutes of play.

Interestingly, the first of those substitutions was Nevillegail Able for Mia Mitchell. Less than 10 minutes before, Mitchell had missed a penalty to put the young Reggae Girlz ahead.